1
as in disbanding
to cease to exist or cause to cease to exist as a group or organization
the band broke up when their arguments over money grew too stressful
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ending
to come to an end
the meeting broke up when all the business for the day had been completed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in dividing
to set or force apart
he broke up the rocks in the old stone wall with a crowbar, sending them tumbling to the ground
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in losing it
to yield to mental or emotional stress
the sort of person who would be among the first to break up in a prisoner of war camp
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in stopping
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end
police arrived at the scene and immediately broke up the fracas
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in disrupting
to cause to separate into pieces usually suddenly or forcibly
break up the feta cheese and spread it over the salad
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in laughing
to show mirth with an explosive vocal sound
if you break up during the skit, the audience will know that you're in on the joke
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of breaking up
Chapter One opens with Ocean, a Korean space pilot, breaking up with her boyfriend at a Korean BBQ restaurant.
—
Elaine U. Cho
august 5, Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2025
After breaking up in 2000, the Jesus Lizard reunited in 2008 to play a brief tour, including a set at Pitchfork Music Festival the following year.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 5 Aug. 2025
Elaine U. Cho
august 5, Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2025
After breaking up in 2000, the Jesus Lizard reunited in 2008 to play a brief tour, including a set at Pitchfork Music Festival the following year.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breaking up
Verb
-
Indiana and Utah have also passed laws limiting the powers of faculty senates, and the University of Kentucky did so on its own initiative, disbanding its university senate and thereby stripping faculty of decision-making power over academic matters.—
Michael T. Nietzel,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
-
The remaining trio carried on briefly before disbanding for good a year later.—
Jordan Runtagh,
People.com,
23 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told the state news agency TASS that Putin had extended an invitation to Trump following the leaders' meeting in Alaska on August 15, which provided no breakthrough on ending the war in Ukraine.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Despite making wholesale changes to his life and training heading into UFC 316, Dvalishvili easily dispatched O’Malley in their second meeting, ending the fight in the third round via submission.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The solution is to rejuvenate your plants every two to three years by digging and dividing the clump.—
Rita Pelczar,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The main way to do that is by selling their tickets in virtually every state, rather than dividing up the country into different competing territories.—
Nathaniel Meyersohn,
CNN Money,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
For thinkers like Ratti, the time for stopping or slowing climate change has passed, and the time for climate adaptation is upon us.—
Kate Wagner,
Curbed,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The European Commission isn't stopping with financial penalties, though.—
Ryan Whitwam,
ArsTechnica,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Analysts, however, worry if the licenses will be approved fast enough to avoid disrupting operations abroad.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Soft-spoken and unrelenting, Alboury emerges as the only moral voice in a land of postcolonial abandon, refusing to let Cal get away with what may be homicide, while disrupting Horn’s romantic first night with Leonie.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
While you guys had staff inside laughing, pointing and even flicking off the crowd outside.—
Megan Cartwright,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Earlier this week, however, Swizz shared a video of the couple smiling, laughing and dancing together to Instagram.—
Jack Irvin,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Swift’s zigs and zags were well timed for cultural and technological shifts that were dissolving the very meaning of pop.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
4 Sep. 2025
-
The spicules themselves begin dissolving right away and are fully broken down into harmless, water-soluble components within 24 hours.—
Celia Shatzman,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
With Tsunoda experiencing difficulties in getting used to the RB21 F1 car, and with his Red Bull contract expiring at the end of this year, Hadjar's name has been floated for a potential Red Bull promotion.—
Saajan Jogia,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Valdez ignored Salazar and delivered the pitch barely ahead of the pitch clock expiring.—
Ryan Canfield,
FOXNews.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Breaking up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breaking%20up. Accessed 7 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share